Bennett Retiring After Four Decades at UT
Richard Bennett assumed he would work in industry after obtaining his degrees in civil engineering. But once his graduate school classmates told him they were pursuing careers in academia, Bennett’s life trajectory switched courses.
“I thought, ‘I guess I might as well go into academia too,’” Bennett said. “It was not a planned or well-thought-out career, but it’s been a great career.”
Bennett, the friendly face that nearly every engineering student sees when they first arrive at the University of Tennessee, is retiring after 42 years on Rocky Top. Over his four decades at UT, Bennett has taught more than 25,000 students and witnessed the Tickle College of Engineering grow into a leading educational destination.
“One of the amazing things about my job is I get to meet a lot of alumni that love the college and hear about their time at UT. One of the things I always ask about is who their very best professors were. A small handful of names always comes up, and Dr. Bennett is one of those,” said Dean Matthew Mench, the Wayne T. Davis Dean’s Chair of the Tickle College of Engineering. “To have that kind of a positive impact on so many people’s lives that they remember you 30 years later is truly aspirational.”
Bennett, 68, didn’t put an expiration date on his teaching career. He still loves coming to work each day and helping students learn the basics of engineering. His decision to retire came gradually.
“I don’t know that there’s one single thing, but it’s just time,” Bennett said. “I’ve seen too many people hang on too long, and I don’t want to do that. I want to spend more time with the family, with my grandkids, and with my wife.”
Passion for teaching
Bennett arrived at UT in 1983 as a structural engineering faculty member in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE). He spent 25 years in CEE, teaching sophomore and PhD-level courses.
Bennett joined the engineering fundamentals program (EF) in 2002 and served as the program’s director from 2008-21. After stepping down as director, Bennett has remained a professor in EF helping first-year students transition from high school to college.
“My biggest passion is teaching, so I’ve really enjoyed that,” Bennett said. “It’s fun to get a new group every year. They’re excited to learn, and then you move them on and hopefully they are prepared to do well in the following years. I just really enjoy the great energy of the first-year students.”
Doug Aaron (BS/CBE, ’05), the associate department head for undergraduate programs and a research associate professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, had Bennett as an instructor when he was a first-year student at UT in 2001.
“I still remember the foamcore beach chair (with cupholder!), the balsawood bridge over a kiddie pool of apple sauce and Goldfish crackers, and learning to hand draw in the EF program he helped establish,” Aaron said. “Having been raised in the South, his northern accent introducing dot and cross products in EF 102 is burned into my memory. Dick’s technical expertise and career have been recognized widely, but I’ll always be grateful for my first steps in engineering under his teaching.”
Chris Cox, the department head of CEE, appreciated how Bennett made engineering interesting for the students, often incorporating TCE faculty into his lessons.
“One year, my birthday fell on the first day of classes. As I sat down to my email that morning, a Happy Birthday message popped up on my screen, followed quickly by another and another,” Cox recalled. “Soon my inbox was scrolling faster than I could read it with the influx of Happy Birthday messages from all 700-some-odd students from the EF 151 class that day. Dr. Bennett had encouraged them to send me a message as a pre-class activity. His teaching always conveys the message to students that engineering is fun even if it is hard work.”
Kurt Boyd (MS/CEE, ’93), a principal at Ross Bryan Associates, Inc., worked on his thesis at UT with Bennett as his research professor.
“It’s amazing how some people are so uniquely blessed with the ability to make a positive impact on the lives of so many. Dick Bennett is one of those rare individuals,” Boyd said. “He didn’t just influence me—he left a lasting impression on countless engineers we’ve hired over the past 30 years. Time and again, I’ve heard them express deep gratitude for the guidance and fundamental knowledge Dick shared with them.”
Life-long engineer
Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, Bennett always wanted to be a structural engineer. He was influenced by his grandfather, who didn’t go to college but had an engineering mind. Bennett graduated with a civil engineering degree from Cleveland State University and was ready to start searching for jobs when his professors encouraged him to apply for a National Science Foundation Fellowship.
“Honestly, I applied to get them off my back and was successful,” Bennett said with a laugh. “I figured if somebody’s going to pay me to go to graduate school, I probably should go.”
Bennett received his graduate degree from the University of Illinois and headed straight to UT for his first job out of college. Little did he know he would never leave.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have good people to work with and good supervisors, and Knoxville is a great place to raise a family,” Bennett said. “Any job comes with frustrating moments of course, but they are far overshadowed by all the great moments and memories I’ve had teaching at UT.”
Bennett and Claudia Rawn, a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, were co-principal investigators on a $2-million training grant several years ago. Rawn credited Bennett with being essential to the grant’s success and for keeping several aspects going once the grant expired.
“What impressed me the most about Dick while working together was his humility and humanity,” Rawn said. “He took care of all the EF faculty and staff and sheltered them from tasks that would distract them from teaching and working with the students. Dick and (former EF Distinguished Lecturer) Will Schleter were the EF dynamic duo that really cared for the students, set students up for success, and provided them with a first-class education during their first year.”
Bennett’s structural design expertise came in handy when UT was constructing the Zeanah Engineering Complex. In following the best design practices in engineering education, UT wanted the three large classrooms used by EF to have automatic walls that can split the room into two or four.
During the design phase, the architects didn’t think they could accommodate the design feature. Bennett showed them how it could be done in his usual humble manner.
“One of the things that makes this place special to me is being able to work with so many people that are not only world-class educators and researchers but are at the same time simply wonderful human beings,” Mench said. “Dr. Bennett would be as great a neighbor as he is a professor, and I am very glad I had the opportunity to work with him during my career.”
Making a lasting impression
Every time Boyd watches the Seinfeld episode where Uncle Leo is explaining to Jerry how rare it is for Cousin Jeffrey to have stayed in touch with his botany professor in college and become friends, Boyd is reminded of Bennett.
“I’ll always be grateful for the mentorship, wisdom, and education Dick provided,” Boyd said. “He wasn’t just a professor—he was a guiding presence. The university will truly miss him.”
Bennett used to do woodwork and build furniture, a hobby he hopes to rekindle during his retirement. His involvement in the Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church will remain a staple in his life, and he’ll savor the chance to watch his grandchildren grow up.
The Dr. Richard Bennett Endowment was recently established to annually fund awards to outstanding instructional staff within EF. Although there are many ways to characterize Bennett’s legacy at UT, his preference speaks to his integrity.
“If there is one thing, it would be that I do care about the students,” he said.
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A retirement reception will be held for Bennett on Wednesday, April 23, from 3-5 p.m. on the ground floor of the Zeanah Engineering Complex. All are welcome to attend and wish Bennett a happy retirement. Light refreshments will be provided.
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey (865-974-0683, [email protected])